1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a structure having projected and recessed structures having an interval of the nanometer scale.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique of producing a fine structure on the surface of an object, methods such as photolithography, electron beam exposure, X-ray exposure, and nanoimprint lithography have been known conventionally.
In addition to the above-mentioned methods, there is a method of forming a structure by a bottom-up method using an aluminum anodic oxidation method or a molecular self-organized structure.
Furthermore, a method of producing a pillar-type replica structure using a hole-type nanostructure formed by an anodic oxidation method as a mold has also been proposed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-32675, Jpn. J. Appl. 36, 7791, 1997, and J. VAc. Sci. Technol. B. 19(2), 569, 2 propose methods in which a hole-type nanostructure is used as a mold, the hole is filled with a material such as resin or metal, and the mold is removed to obtain a pillar structure. Thus, a structure having a minute size and a high aspect ratio, which cannot be obtained by a production method using a semiconductor process, can be produced.
According to the direct patterning technique such as the above-mentioned electron beam lithography and ion beam lithography, a longer period of time is required for forming a pattern as a structure becomes finer. Therefore, for a product mass-produced at low cost, as a mainstream, a mask for X-ray or UV-ray exposure or for an imprint mold is produced precisely by a direct patterning technique, and patterning is performed in a short period of time at a time by photolithography or nanoimprint lithography.
However, there is a limit to the size of a structure that can be formed by any of the above-mentioned methods.
At present, even in an electron beam exposure capable of producing a finest structure, although a single dot of φ10 nm can be formed, it is difficult to arrange the dots with a pitch of 20 nm or less in a large area.
Furthermore, although the above-mentioned conventional method of forming a structure by the bottom-up method using a self-organization method by anodic oxidation of aluminum or a molecular self-organized structure is suitable for forming a regularly repetitive structure in a large area, it is difficult to form an arbitrary structure.